$5b Investment Lined Up For Exploitation of Thar Coal

Islamabad (January 22, 2018): The Senate has been informed that five billion dollars investment is lined up for exploitation of Thar coal.

Speaking on a motion in the House on Monday, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the total energy value of Thar coal is equivalent to the total energy reservoirs of Saudi Arabia and Iran.

He said Thar coal is sufficient to meet the energy requirements of the country for a long period.

Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that Pakistan is currently producing 0.8 percent of energy from coal whilst the United States is producing 30 percent and India 45 to 50 percent from these sources.Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed says the road infrastructure being built under China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor project will benefit all the provinces.

Speaking on a motion in the Senate on Monday, he said the western route of CPEC is covering the areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

He said the government is not oblivious to its responsibilities to equal development of all the areas.

The Minister pointed out that credit goes to the PML-N government for spreading the network of motorways in the country.Earlier, the members expressed confidence that CPEC will bring prosperity to the country.

They, however, emphasized for ensuring quality in the construction of motorways and other road infrastructure projects.